With Quill and Ink by Leenie Brown

Author:Leenie Brown [Leenie Brown]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Leenie B Books
Published: 2021-12-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

September 25, 1811

A week to the day later, Darcy stood at the window in the drawing room, watching for a particular lady to walk out of the wildwood and step into her garden. He did not allow his eyes to focus too directly on the spot where he knew he would first see Miss Elizabeth for there were others in the room with him, and he could feel their eyes on him.

“It is a gloomy day. Would you not agree, Mr. Darcy?” Louisa asked.

“There are a few clouds,” he replied. The day was grey, but it held the promise of spending a few minutes in the garden with Miss Elizabeth. Therefore, it could not be classified as gloomy.

“It might rain,” Caroline said.

“It might,” he agreed.

“It would not do to get caught out in the rain,” Louisa added. Apparently, Mrs. Hurst had deciphered that he would not be staying indoors with her and her sister all afternoon.

“It depends on the sort of rain it is.” Richard came to stand next to Darcy. “Wet stockings would be more enjoyable than being held captive in this drawing room,” he grumbled in a whisper.

“What was that, Colonel?” Louisa asked.

“Nothing for your ears,” he replied. “If I had not already taken a ride,” he muttered. “How do you tolerate them?”

“Not well today,” Darcy answered honestly.

Caroline and her sister had been in their best disagreeable form today. There was nothing to be found in their surroundings or the possibility of the guests who would begin arriving in three days that would lift them out of their sticky mire of disparagements.

“I’m sure they think they are presenting themselves as ladies of a certain station should,” he whispered to Richard.

At least, that was what he was telling himself to try to make their unpleasantness tolerable. He had heard many a lady of the ton use criticism as a way to promote herself. It was both an unattractive habit and one which sat high on the list of attributes he did not want in a wife.

“Do all men share so many secrets?”

“No, Mrs. Hurst, they do not,” Richard replied. “However, some share far more secrets than they should, much like some women do.”

“Are you gossiping?” Louisa prodded.

“No, we are not. We just have things we do not wish for you to hear,” Richard said.

“Are they shocking?”

“More than likely, my dear,” Mr. Hurst said. “About what, other than shocking things, could Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam be speaking? If it were anything else, we would not be excluded.”

“There are things other than those which are shocking that one might discuss in soft tones.” Richard had turned from the window but had not left Darcy’s side.

Darcy could feel the agitation radiating off him. If she were wise, Mrs. Hurst would tread lightly.

“Not everything shared in private is indelicate,” Richard continued. “Some is just news that does not signify to those who are unconnected to the content of the discussion.”

“I do not understand,” Louisa said.

“He means that whatever he and Darcy are discussing is none of your business,” Bingley said.

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